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The suns don’t want zion. They don’t want garland. I’m here to see what they really want
2024 NBA Draft Thread
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by addict4sneakers,
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In the first year of the new, flattened lottery system, the NBA got what it wanted.
Chaos.
During the lottery, the Lakers, who had a 9.4 percent chance of moving into the top-four, and the Grizzlies, who had a 26.3 percent chance; moved up. But the biggest stunner of them all was that the New Orleans Pelicans, who had just a six percent chance to win the lottery, did just that and will receive the rights to select the best player to enter the NBA Draft since the last time they had the No. 1 overall pick in 2012: Zion Williamson.
It’s a remarkable turn of events that will have a wide-ranging impact across the NBA over the next decade. We’ll talk about that more later. But the other thing that this does is shake up a lottery that does not have much of a consensus beyond the top-three. Here’s a quick look at what I’m projecting following what may be the most stunning lottery in league history.
1. New Orleans Pelicans — Zion Williamson
6-7 forward, freshman, Duke
It was speculated that Williamson would be available to the Pelicans via trade if the team with the best odds of getting the No. 1 overall pick, the New York Knicks, indeed had received it. Well, now the Pelicans don’t have to worry whether or not the Knicks will offer Zion; they get him with their own selection. Simply put, the South Carolina native is the best option not only from a front office standpoint, but also from an ownership standpoint. He put up 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting an insane 68 percent from the field. It kind of goes without saying, but no one in the last 25 years of college basketball has achieved those benchmarks. His 40.8 PER doesn’t just set the record for highest mark of the last decade; it shatters it. Then, throw into the mix that Williamson is improving as a shooter and ended up hitting 34 percent from 3. Oh, and he’s a legitimate potential NBA Defensive Player of the Year threat at some point.
In my opinion, this is the best on-court prospect to enter the NBA since their current superstar Anthony Davis entered the league from Kentucky in 2012. Off the court, Williamson is the most ready-made marketing tool to enter the league since LeBron James. And yes, that stuff matters in a market like New Orleans, who ranked 25th in average home attendance this past season. Bidding for his shoe deal is expected to be near-record setting for a rookie. Immediately, Williamson will be among the top-selling jerseys in his first year. He is a home run on all levels for the Pelicans.
The question of who they take at No. 1 is now answered. Now, comes a different one: does this turn of events convince Davis to stick around? Newly appointed head of basketball operations David Griffin would like to try and convince Davis to stay if possible, sources tell The Athletic. Our NBA Insider, Shams Charania, reported shortly after Tuesday’s results that Davis’ demands have not changed.
A front-court featuring Williamson and Davis would be absolutely devastating on both ends of the floor, complementing each others’ skills to a ‘T.’ Reportedly, Davis was set on departing no matter what happened on lottery night. My bet is that’s still the case. But regardless, this is a night worth celebration for Pelicans’ fans. They have their next building block, and a point guard to help him out in Jrue Holiday.
2. Memphis Grizzlies — Ja Morant
6-3 lead guard, sophomore, Murray State
With the Grizzlies moving into a new era after drafting Jaren Jackson last year and trading Marc Gasol at the deadline, it would seem that Mike Conley’s departure from the only organization that he’s known throughout his career is imminent this summer. That means the Grizz will need a new point guard. Delon Wright had a solid finish to the season, but is more of a secondary playmaker than the guy you want running the entire show.
Morant is the perfect player to do that. Similarly to the man I’d expect to depart, the Murray State guard is a high-level prospect worthy of being taken in the top-five. He’s an elite player off of a live dribble, due largely to his tight handle, terrific of change of pace, and ability to change direction without slowing down. It’s my opinion that Morant will enter the NBA immediately as one of the top 10 passers in the league. His vision is sublime, and his ability to pass one-handed directly off of the dribble allows him to make a pass immediately upon identifying it. As a scorer, Morant’s skinny frame gives some evaluators pause as a finisher. His jump shot also needs some work, as he’s not the most adept pull-up shooter yet. If a defender goes under a screen and he has time to set his feet, Morant has the ability to knock down a 3. But he’s not as dynamic getting into his shot at full speed yet, which is a critical piece of being a lead guard in today’s NBA.
It’s easy to salivate over Morant and Jackson pick-and-rolls, given the former’s feel with the ball-screen and the latter’s threat as both a shooter and as a diver toward the basket. The Grizzlies would do well this summer to try and get further shooting acumen to help spread the floor for Morant, but those two will be terrific building blocks to help the Grizzlies rebuild on the fly.
3. New York Knicks — R.J. Barrett
6-7 wing, freshman, Duke
The Knicks need help all over the floor, but one position does stick out like a sore thumb. They could use a wing that can create his own shot. Barrett would not only represent a fit there, but he’d represent the highest upside player on the board, which is where the Knicks need to look. He’s the first high-major player to average 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists — and he did it as an 18-year-old freshman who re-classified into the 2018 recruiting class. There are some concerns here in regard to sharing the load. At times, Barrett played selfishly this season. It would help him to change his mentality just slightly. The Knicks would want him to still be the confident player he is; they just also want him to make the confident passing reads that he made more of throughout the latter quarter of the season. Additionally, Barrett needs to work slightly on his jump shot, although I believe he’s a better shooter than what the numbers indicate largely due to shot selection. His jumper has taken tremendous strides over the last 18 months. His unflappable mentality and personality would also fit exceedingly well in New York.
The Knicks obviously also have a remarkable amount of flexibility this summer, with executives around the NBA believing they will be significant players for both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. If that was to occur, and the Knicks were able to acquire both stars, could this pick become a trade chip? Could the Pelicans look to recreate the magic that Duke did this season by pairing Barrett with Williamson again. The two are very close and would likely be ecstatic with such an arrangement, but it would also require Griffin to be more interested in a Barrett-led package featuring Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson, Dennis Smith Jr., and Frank Ntilikina than a potential Lakers package including the No. 4 pick (more on that in a second), or a Celtics package including Jayson Tatum.
Regardless, Barrett is the best pick here for New York.
4. Los Angeles Lakers — Jarrett Culver
6-6 wing, sophomore, Texas Tech
What an incredible stroke of luck for the Lakers, who now get yet another additional asset to go out and either help LeBron James with, or to potentially acquire a star with. My bet is that they would rather use this pick as part of a trade to acquire that star. Think Anthony Davis, Bradley Beal, guys like that. Beal particularly stands out if the Pelicans end up getting a better offer for Davis than the No. 4 pick, Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Kyle Kuzma (that sticks out as a very legitimate offer). But if they end up keeping the pick, they’ll have to make a call on whether or not they think any of these players can help their team sooner rather than later.
In my opinion, Culver is that guy. The team has really struggled at the 2-guard spot over the last two years. One of the breakout stars of the college basketball season, the Texas Tech wing has developed into a high-level shot creator who also plays well within a team construct. He’s a terrific ball-handler and playmaker, with the ability to get to his pull-up jumper with ease. He’s also improved dramatically as a jump shooter, going from a left-eye dominant sling shooter to a shooter who brings the ball up from the middle of his body and can knock down shots. He still needs to iron out a few things at the top of the jumper, including a small hitch. Overall though, it’s easy to imagine him as the 2-guard, secondary ball-handler, given his size at 6-foot-6 and creativity. Defensively, he still has some room to grow, but he has good feel on that end from playing in Texas Tech’s defense-first scheme. Particularly, his hands are disruptive and he gets a lot of steals when offensive players bring the ball low or when he gets out into passing lanes. The fit here is too strong to pass up, but I will note that there continues to be some ambivalence to Culver among NBA executives, who question his athleticism and ability to become a true difference maker.
This pick could also be an interesting, tell-tale sign into how much power James has within the walls of the Staples Center. Point guard Darius Garland would be an intriguing fit next to Ball. His shot-making as a pull-up shooter would really complement all of the winning plays Ball makes on both ends of the floor. Additionally, Ball could help cover over some of Garland’s mistakes. It also doesn’t hurt that Garland is represented by Klutch Sports, James’ own agency. How this aspect of the proceedings play out if the Lakers keep the pick will be fascinating.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers — De’Andre Hunter
6-8 forward, redshirt sophomore, Virginia
The Cavaliers had the worst defense in the NBA this season. They need as much help as they can get on that side of the floor. Hunter is a perfect player to draft to make up for those mistakes. He’s a monster defender who can legitimately guard four positions. He’s a lockdown on-ball guy, and knows exactly where to be and how to use his length (with a 7-2 wingspan) in help situations.
But the offensive upside is equally as interesting, given his continued strides as a shooter. He hit a high percentage from 3, but his shot is a bit slow developing and can be contested easier than you would like. With the ball, he’s a bit stiff, and may end up becoming more of a secondary starter than a primary playmaker. I’d think he’s probably more of a De’Marre Carroll type than a Kawhi Leonard, at the end of the day. But in this draft, that’s well worth it for the Cavs at No. 5 to get a plug-and-play type piece who can help them immediately and provide value on both ends of the floor — while also possessing some upside beyond what is already there due to his length and developing offensive profile.
6. Phoenix Suns — Darius Garland
6-2 lead guard, freshman, Vanderbilt
Well, uh, the Phoenix Suns drop all the way from No. 3 to No. 6, but they still have an opportunity to get their point guard of the future and fill a significant need. Garland has a chance to be that guy. He’s an elite level shooter as a guard, with range out to about 30 feet, putting pressure on the defense essentially as soon as he crosses half-court. He’s also terrific in ball-screens, knowing exactly how to snake around defenders. The critical swing skill for Garland long-term will be his ability to see the floor and make plays for others. Having grown up playing more off-guard than lead, Garland isn’t necessarily the most adept as a facilitator.
Garland’s ability to really shoot it, while being something of a lesser distributor, would be a fascinating mesh of skills next to Devin Booker, who has really developed as a playmaker for others over the last three years. That could become a really modern, terrific offensive backcourt who gives the team all sorts of space to operate with Deandre Ayton inside, or in pick-and-rolls. The concerns would be on the other end. Defensively, Garland is not particularly useful at this stage. He dies on the vine in ball-screen defense, something that would just add to Phoenix’s woes on that end of the floor.
Additionally, it’ll be interested to see if this pick becomes something of a trade chip for a veteran player, as general manager James Jones has made statements about wanting to fill out the young roster with more veterans.
7. Chicago Bulls — Coby White
6-5 lead guard, freshman, North Carolina
The Bulls need an answer at the point guard position. Kris Dunn is definitely a useful piece for an NBA team due to his defensive ability, but it seems unlikely that he can carry the load offensively at the most important position on that end of the floor.
White has potential to grow into that player. He’s lightning quick at 6-foot-5, with the ability to play uptempo and get into transition. He’s also a high-level pull-up shooter, which puts pressure on the defense and opens up lanes for his teammates. The reason, though, he’s not quite what Morant is as a prospect at this stage is the natural feel for making plays for his teammates. He’s still working on that aspect of his game in half-court settings. If that comes along as he continues learning how to play with good players around him — something he didn’t really do much of at the high school level — White could be really strong starting point guard. Even if he doesn’t, I’d expect him to get buckets for a long time at this level. There would also be the added benefit of the way Dunn and White complement each other as options, in addition to both being in the bigger, longer lead guard department, which would help the team not have to change its defensive scheme when one leaves the floor.
8. Atlanta Hawks — Cam Reddish
6-8 forward, freshman, Duke
This season didn’t exactly go to plan for Reddish. Despite being an athletic 6-foot-8 forward who can handle the ball and shoot from distance, he shot 35.6 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from 3. Traditionally, sub-40 percent from 2-point range is a major red flag for guards and their long-term success as a scorer inside. I’m honestly not sure that I can remember a player of Reddish’s height struggling this mightily inside. Of course, part of it is contextual. When he drove, teams collapsed in on him because there was little threat otherwise from the surrounding Tre Jones, Barrett, Williamson, and one of Javin DeLaurier, Jack White, or Marques Bolden. In the NBA, he’s going to get better driving lanes, and fewer bodies collapsing in on him. But he also needs to improve, as well. He needs to work on tightening up his handle, which can be ripped a bit too easily at times. His lower body mechanics on his jump shot also could stand to tighten up, as he sometimes loads off-balance into shots.
At the end of the day, though, NBA teams should probably bet on his talent. It’s rare for players to have this type of ball skill at his size. Reddish would represent an upside play for the Hawks, who are believed to be fans of Reddish by executives around the league. Them falling all the way to No. 8 and potentially being able to acquire him would be a huge victory for the team.
9. Washington Wizards— Nassir Little
6-7 wing, freshman, North Carolina
The Wizards bizarrely made a decision to trade away Otto Porter Jr. at the trade deadline for the opportunity to pay Bobby Portis. Additionally, they dealt away Kelly Oubre for Trevor Ariza, who is a free agent this summer. That means they have a massive hole in their front court of the future, in addition to a massive hole in their front office after firing Ernie Grunfeld earlier this summer.
Little is an extremely polarizing player for NBA teams (there are a lot of those guys this year). Some teams really buy into his mix of athleticism, length and motor. He played a little bit heavy this season at North Carolina, and has slimmed down during the pre-draft process already. They believe there is real upside there to get a starter who can defend modern wings and forward. Additionally, teams can look back through his past and see legitimate shooting upside off the dribble. However, there’s downside here. His feel for the game has real holes. He struggled to adjust to playing with North Carolina’s defensive scheme this year. Offensively, he needs to keep ironing out his shooting efficiency.
Let’s take a wild stab here, given that the Wizards still don’t have a lead front office executive, and say that recent reporting from The Athletic’s Fred Katz and Shams Charania is right, and Oklahoma City Thunder vice president of basketball operations Troy Weaver is very much in the mix for the Wizards’ top job. That Oklahoma City front office values athleticism, length, and character in players above all else. Obviously, Little ticks all of those boxes.
10. Atlanta Hawks —Jaxson Hayes
6-11 center, freshman, Texas
A 6-foot-11 center with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, many evaluators around the NBA believe that Hayes has potential to be the type of low-usage, rim-running, shot-blocking center that every NBA team is looking for right now. He also possesses the footwork and lateral mobility to potentially defend a bit out on the perimeter, and some short-roll ball-handling ability. Basically, Hayes is like a combination of a Steven Adams and Clint Capela starter kit, both of whom have morphed into above-average starting NBA centers who can create an impact on both ends. The Hawks are an intelligently run organization led by general manager Travis Schlenk, whose background is with the Golden State title teams. Those teams tended to value low-usage, rim-protecting centers. It’s easy to see Schlenk valuing Hayes as one of those types with his second first-round pick, the one acquired in the deal for Trae Young.
11. Minnesota Timberwolves — Sekou Doumbouya
6-9 forward, 18 years old, Limoges (France)
Out of the international class, the multi-dimensional 6-foot-9 18-year-old originally from Guinea certainly looks to hold the most long-term value. Doumbouya had a tough start to the season, struggling to adjust to high-level pro basketball in France in the first three months of his season. He posted an extremely poor 0.57 assist to turnover ratio, while hitting just 25 percent in limited attempts from 3. Defensively, he was fouling more than six times per 40 minutes. Basically, he looked like a 17-year-old playing professional basketball for the first time. But then, in a trio of games around Christmas, it looked like the French international had turned a corner, scoring 12 points in each and looking much more comfortable. Unfortunately, Doumbouya suffered a thumb injury in a league game against Boulazac and required surgery to repair a ligament and missed just over a month of action. And after a few games of action to get himself back into game shape, Doumbouya has been much better over the last month and a half. In his last eight games, Doumbouya has seen his points per minute increase, his 3-point shooting volume and efficiency has increased, and generally he just looks much more comfortable with the speed of the game.
Overall, I’m encouraged that Doumbouya has figured things out quickly, but still question how ready for the NBA he is simply due to his inexperience at high levels to this stage. There’s a real chance that he might need an extra year of seasoning, or else the team that picks him may be wasting one or two valuable seasons of his entry-level contract. Much like someone like Al-Farouq Aminu, the team that gets the best value out of Doumbouya may not necessarily be the team that selects him unless they can delay his process for coming over. But NBA teams generally are relatively high on Doumbouya and consider him a likely lottery pick.
12. Charlotte Hornets — Rui Hachimura
6-8 forward, junior, Gonzaga
NBA teams are high on Hachimura’s tools. He’s 6-8 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan at 240 pounds, but also maintains high-level athleticism. His first step is terrific for a man his size, and it allows him to get to the basket. As a shooter, there’s a hitch at the top of his release to fix, but his touch is pretty good and at least portends some potential — but he needs to get more confidence from beyond the arc. Defensively, he possesses potential due to his strength and length, although sometimes his feet get a bit stuck in the mud at times and his feel on that end isn’t particularly strong after his prep years of being the primary offensive option with little defensive accountability until he reached Gonzaga. This year, things started to click a bit more on that end, but it remains an open question as to whether or not Hachimura will defend.
For Charlotte, this represents something of a swing on a player with legitimate upside that can score the basketball. They desperately need to take some swings like this, given the current state of the roster and the potential for Kemba Walker to depart this offseason. It’s also a strong positional fit, and it fits the Hornets’ mold of taking high-profile college players who have experienced exceptional success at that level (you can go back to Kemba Walker, Frank Kaminsky, Miles Bridges, Malik Monk, Cody Zeller, and more). Hachimura was a first-team All-American this season.
13. Miami Heat — PJ Washington
6-7 forward/center, sophomore, Kentucky
For Miami, they’re about as good as any team in the league at getting guys into optimal shape and putting guys into position for success. Washington is a player that got into terrific shape last season, and experienced a legitimate jump in his game and the way he enforces his athleticism on the game because of it. He could use a team that helps him to stay in such shape. This isn’t exactly what I’d call a sexy, high-upside pick for an organization in desperate need of such swings, but this part of the draft is not really loaded with those type of players and Washington is a player that would fit on their roster and give them some added size, toughness, and perimeter shooting. His length could also help them in the smaller lineups that they enjoy employing.
14. Boston Celtics (from SAC) — Brandon Clarke
6-8 forward/center, redshirt junior, Gonzaga
I had Clarke at No. 10 on my most recent mock draft. In large part, that was because his fit with the Minnesota Timberwolves is my favorite potential idea in the entire draft (not-Zion division). He complements Karl-Anthony Towns perfectly. He’s a monster coming over from the weak side as a shot-blocker, something Towns has struggled with in his career. His intelligence coming over in help would be of significant value when a team pulls Towns away from the basket. Clarke can legit play away from the basket at the 4 defensively at the NBA level, in addition to potentially the 5 in smaller lineups. On offense, Towns’ elite level shooting ability would complement Clarke’s current development on that side of the floor.
But when executives reached out to me afterward to chat about where players were placed, the message from most was that they felt Clarke was too highly placed. NBA teams are certainly mixed about his potential. Some executives are with me and believe that he’s a top-10 player (that’s where he’ll feature on my big board). But the overall tenor around the league sees him more as a top-20 guy as opposed to a surefire lottery pick. Thus, I’ve slid him down four spots to the Celtics, another smartly-run organization who could find value in Clarke’s unique skillset, particularly in regard to how it could translate in the playoffs if his offensive game comes along.
Picks 15-60 available on article free within app
15-30
15. Romeo Langford (DET)
16. Tyler Herro (ORL)
17. Goga Bitadze (BKN)
18. Kevin Porter Jr. (IND)
19. Nickeil Alexander-Walker (SAS)
20. Keldon Johnson (BOS)
21. Bol Bol (OKC)
22. Carsen Edwards (BOS)
23. Cameron Johnson (UTA)
24. Ty Jerome (PHI)
25. KZ Okpala (POR)
26. Nic Claxton (CLE)
27. Grant Williams (BKN)
28. Talen Horton-Tucker (GSW)
29. Bruno Fernando (SAS)
30. Matisse Thybulle (MIL)
Chaos.
During the lottery, the Lakers, who had a 9.4 percent chance of moving into the top-four, and the Grizzlies, who had a 26.3 percent chance; moved up. But the biggest stunner of them all was that the New Orleans Pelicans, who had just a six percent chance to win the lottery, did just that and will receive the rights to select the best player to enter the NBA Draft since the last time they had the No. 1 overall pick in 2012: Zion Williamson.
It’s a remarkable turn of events that will have a wide-ranging impact across the NBA over the next decade. We’ll talk about that more later. But the other thing that this does is shake up a lottery that does not have much of a consensus beyond the top-three. Here’s a quick look at what I’m projecting following what may be the most stunning lottery in league history.
1. New Orleans Pelicans — Zion Williamson
6-7 forward, freshman, Duke
It was speculated that Williamson would be available to the Pelicans via trade if the team with the best odds of getting the No. 1 overall pick, the New York Knicks, indeed had received it. Well, now the Pelicans don’t have to worry whether or not the Knicks will offer Zion; they get him with their own selection. Simply put, the South Carolina native is the best option not only from a front office standpoint, but also from an ownership standpoint. He put up 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting an insane 68 percent from the field. It kind of goes without saying, but no one in the last 25 years of college basketball has achieved those benchmarks. His 40.8 PER doesn’t just set the record for highest mark of the last decade; it shatters it. Then, throw into the mix that Williamson is improving as a shooter and ended up hitting 34 percent from 3. Oh, and he’s a legitimate potential NBA Defensive Player of the Year threat at some point.
In my opinion, this is the best on-court prospect to enter the NBA since their current superstar Anthony Davis entered the league from Kentucky in 2012. Off the court, Williamson is the most ready-made marketing tool to enter the league since LeBron James. And yes, that stuff matters in a market like New Orleans, who ranked 25th in average home attendance this past season. Bidding for his shoe deal is expected to be near-record setting for a rookie. Immediately, Williamson will be among the top-selling jerseys in his first year. He is a home run on all levels for the Pelicans.
The question of who they take at No. 1 is now answered. Now, comes a different one: does this turn of events convince Davis to stick around? Newly appointed head of basketball operations David Griffin would like to try and convince Davis to stay if possible, sources tell The Athletic. Our NBA Insider, Shams Charania, reported shortly after Tuesday’s results that Davis’ demands have not changed.
A front-court featuring Williamson and Davis would be absolutely devastating on both ends of the floor, complementing each others’ skills to a ‘T.’ Reportedly, Davis was set on departing no matter what happened on lottery night. My bet is that’s still the case. But regardless, this is a night worth celebration for Pelicans’ fans. They have their next building block, and a point guard to help him out in Jrue Holiday.
2. Memphis Grizzlies — Ja Morant
6-3 lead guard, sophomore, Murray State
With the Grizzlies moving into a new era after drafting Jaren Jackson last year and trading Marc Gasol at the deadline, it would seem that Mike Conley’s departure from the only organization that he’s known throughout his career is imminent this summer. That means the Grizz will need a new point guard. Delon Wright had a solid finish to the season, but is more of a secondary playmaker than the guy you want running the entire show.
Morant is the perfect player to do that. Similarly to the man I’d expect to depart, the Murray State guard is a high-level prospect worthy of being taken in the top-five. He’s an elite player off of a live dribble, due largely to his tight handle, terrific of change of pace, and ability to change direction without slowing down. It’s my opinion that Morant will enter the NBA immediately as one of the top 10 passers in the league. His vision is sublime, and his ability to pass one-handed directly off of the dribble allows him to make a pass immediately upon identifying it. As a scorer, Morant’s skinny frame gives some evaluators pause as a finisher. His jump shot also needs some work, as he’s not the most adept pull-up shooter yet. If a defender goes under a screen and he has time to set his feet, Morant has the ability to knock down a 3. But he’s not as dynamic getting into his shot at full speed yet, which is a critical piece of being a lead guard in today’s NBA.
It’s easy to salivate over Morant and Jackson pick-and-rolls, given the former’s feel with the ball-screen and the latter’s threat as both a shooter and as a diver toward the basket. The Grizzlies would do well this summer to try and get further shooting acumen to help spread the floor for Morant, but those two will be terrific building blocks to help the Grizzlies rebuild on the fly.
3. New York Knicks — R.J. Barrett
6-7 wing, freshman, Duke
The Knicks need help all over the floor, but one position does stick out like a sore thumb. They could use a wing that can create his own shot. Barrett would not only represent a fit there, but he’d represent the highest upside player on the board, which is where the Knicks need to look. He’s the first high-major player to average 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists — and he did it as an 18-year-old freshman who re-classified into the 2018 recruiting class. There are some concerns here in regard to sharing the load. At times, Barrett played selfishly this season. It would help him to change his mentality just slightly. The Knicks would want him to still be the confident player he is; they just also want him to make the confident passing reads that he made more of throughout the latter quarter of the season. Additionally, Barrett needs to work slightly on his jump shot, although I believe he’s a better shooter than what the numbers indicate largely due to shot selection. His jumper has taken tremendous strides over the last 18 months. His unflappable mentality and personality would also fit exceedingly well in New York.
The Knicks obviously also have a remarkable amount of flexibility this summer, with executives around the NBA believing they will be significant players for both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. If that was to occur, and the Knicks were able to acquire both stars, could this pick become a trade chip? Could the Pelicans look to recreate the magic that Duke did this season by pairing Barrett with Williamson again. The two are very close and would likely be ecstatic with such an arrangement, but it would also require Griffin to be more interested in a Barrett-led package featuring Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson, Dennis Smith Jr., and Frank Ntilikina than a potential Lakers package including the No. 4 pick (more on that in a second), or a Celtics package including Jayson Tatum.
Regardless, Barrett is the best pick here for New York.
4. Los Angeles Lakers — Jarrett Culver
6-6 wing, sophomore, Texas Tech
What an incredible stroke of luck for the Lakers, who now get yet another additional asset to go out and either help LeBron James with, or to potentially acquire a star with. My bet is that they would rather use this pick as part of a trade to acquire that star. Think Anthony Davis, Bradley Beal, guys like that. Beal particularly stands out if the Pelicans end up getting a better offer for Davis than the No. 4 pick, Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Kyle Kuzma (that sticks out as a very legitimate offer). But if they end up keeping the pick, they’ll have to make a call on whether or not they think any of these players can help their team sooner rather than later.
In my opinion, Culver is that guy. The team has really struggled at the 2-guard spot over the last two years. One of the breakout stars of the college basketball season, the Texas Tech wing has developed into a high-level shot creator who also plays well within a team construct. He’s a terrific ball-handler and playmaker, with the ability to get to his pull-up jumper with ease. He’s also improved dramatically as a jump shooter, going from a left-eye dominant sling shooter to a shooter who brings the ball up from the middle of his body and can knock down shots. He still needs to iron out a few things at the top of the jumper, including a small hitch. Overall though, it’s easy to imagine him as the 2-guard, secondary ball-handler, given his size at 6-foot-6 and creativity. Defensively, he still has some room to grow, but he has good feel on that end from playing in Texas Tech’s defense-first scheme. Particularly, his hands are disruptive and he gets a lot of steals when offensive players bring the ball low or when he gets out into passing lanes. The fit here is too strong to pass up, but I will note that there continues to be some ambivalence to Culver among NBA executives, who question his athleticism and ability to become a true difference maker.
This pick could also be an interesting, tell-tale sign into how much power James has within the walls of the Staples Center. Point guard Darius Garland would be an intriguing fit next to Ball. His shot-making as a pull-up shooter would really complement all of the winning plays Ball makes on both ends of the floor. Additionally, Ball could help cover over some of Garland’s mistakes. It also doesn’t hurt that Garland is represented by Klutch Sports, James’ own agency. How this aspect of the proceedings play out if the Lakers keep the pick will be fascinating.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers — De’Andre Hunter
6-8 forward, redshirt sophomore, Virginia
The Cavaliers had the worst defense in the NBA this season. They need as much help as they can get on that side of the floor. Hunter is a perfect player to draft to make up for those mistakes. He’s a monster defender who can legitimately guard four positions. He’s a lockdown on-ball guy, and knows exactly where to be and how to use his length (with a 7-2 wingspan) in help situations.
But the offensive upside is equally as interesting, given his continued strides as a shooter. He hit a high percentage from 3, but his shot is a bit slow developing and can be contested easier than you would like. With the ball, he’s a bit stiff, and may end up becoming more of a secondary starter than a primary playmaker. I’d think he’s probably more of a De’Marre Carroll type than a Kawhi Leonard, at the end of the day. But in this draft, that’s well worth it for the Cavs at No. 5 to get a plug-and-play type piece who can help them immediately and provide value on both ends of the floor — while also possessing some upside beyond what is already there due to his length and developing offensive profile.
6. Phoenix Suns — Darius Garland
6-2 lead guard, freshman, Vanderbilt
Well, uh, the Phoenix Suns drop all the way from No. 3 to No. 6, but they still have an opportunity to get their point guard of the future and fill a significant need. Garland has a chance to be that guy. He’s an elite level shooter as a guard, with range out to about 30 feet, putting pressure on the defense essentially as soon as he crosses half-court. He’s also terrific in ball-screens, knowing exactly how to snake around defenders. The critical swing skill for Garland long-term will be his ability to see the floor and make plays for others. Having grown up playing more off-guard than lead, Garland isn’t necessarily the most adept as a facilitator.
Garland’s ability to really shoot it, while being something of a lesser distributor, would be a fascinating mesh of skills next to Devin Booker, who has really developed as a playmaker for others over the last three years. That could become a really modern, terrific offensive backcourt who gives the team all sorts of space to operate with Deandre Ayton inside, or in pick-and-rolls. The concerns would be on the other end. Defensively, Garland is not particularly useful at this stage. He dies on the vine in ball-screen defense, something that would just add to Phoenix’s woes on that end of the floor.
Additionally, it’ll be interested to see if this pick becomes something of a trade chip for a veteran player, as general manager James Jones has made statements about wanting to fill out the young roster with more veterans.
7. Chicago Bulls — Coby White
6-5 lead guard, freshman, North Carolina
The Bulls need an answer at the point guard position. Kris Dunn is definitely a useful piece for an NBA team due to his defensive ability, but it seems unlikely that he can carry the load offensively at the most important position on that end of the floor.
White has potential to grow into that player. He’s lightning quick at 6-foot-5, with the ability to play uptempo and get into transition. He’s also a high-level pull-up shooter, which puts pressure on the defense and opens up lanes for his teammates. The reason, though, he’s not quite what Morant is as a prospect at this stage is the natural feel for making plays for his teammates. He’s still working on that aspect of his game in half-court settings. If that comes along as he continues learning how to play with good players around him — something he didn’t really do much of at the high school level — White could be really strong starting point guard. Even if he doesn’t, I’d expect him to get buckets for a long time at this level. There would also be the added benefit of the way Dunn and White complement each other as options, in addition to both being in the bigger, longer lead guard department, which would help the team not have to change its defensive scheme when one leaves the floor.
8. Atlanta Hawks — Cam Reddish
6-8 forward, freshman, Duke
This season didn’t exactly go to plan for Reddish. Despite being an athletic 6-foot-8 forward who can handle the ball and shoot from distance, he shot 35.6 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from 3. Traditionally, sub-40 percent from 2-point range is a major red flag for guards and their long-term success as a scorer inside. I’m honestly not sure that I can remember a player of Reddish’s height struggling this mightily inside. Of course, part of it is contextual. When he drove, teams collapsed in on him because there was little threat otherwise from the surrounding Tre Jones, Barrett, Williamson, and one of Javin DeLaurier, Jack White, or Marques Bolden. In the NBA, he’s going to get better driving lanes, and fewer bodies collapsing in on him. But he also needs to improve, as well. He needs to work on tightening up his handle, which can be ripped a bit too easily at times. His lower body mechanics on his jump shot also could stand to tighten up, as he sometimes loads off-balance into shots.
At the end of the day, though, NBA teams should probably bet on his talent. It’s rare for players to have this type of ball skill at his size. Reddish would represent an upside play for the Hawks, who are believed to be fans of Reddish by executives around the league. Them falling all the way to No. 8 and potentially being able to acquire him would be a huge victory for the team.
9. Washington Wizards— Nassir Little
6-7 wing, freshman, North Carolina
The Wizards bizarrely made a decision to trade away Otto Porter Jr. at the trade deadline for the opportunity to pay Bobby Portis. Additionally, they dealt away Kelly Oubre for Trevor Ariza, who is a free agent this summer. That means they have a massive hole in their front court of the future, in addition to a massive hole in their front office after firing Ernie Grunfeld earlier this summer.
Little is an extremely polarizing player for NBA teams (there are a lot of those guys this year). Some teams really buy into his mix of athleticism, length and motor. He played a little bit heavy this season at North Carolina, and has slimmed down during the pre-draft process already. They believe there is real upside there to get a starter who can defend modern wings and forward. Additionally, teams can look back through his past and see legitimate shooting upside off the dribble. However, there’s downside here. His feel for the game has real holes. He struggled to adjust to playing with North Carolina’s defensive scheme this year. Offensively, he needs to keep ironing out his shooting efficiency.
Let’s take a wild stab here, given that the Wizards still don’t have a lead front office executive, and say that recent reporting from The Athletic’s Fred Katz and Shams Charania is right, and Oklahoma City Thunder vice president of basketball operations Troy Weaver is very much in the mix for the Wizards’ top job. That Oklahoma City front office values athleticism, length, and character in players above all else. Obviously, Little ticks all of those boxes.
10. Atlanta Hawks —Jaxson Hayes
6-11 center, freshman, Texas
A 6-foot-11 center with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, many evaluators around the NBA believe that Hayes has potential to be the type of low-usage, rim-running, shot-blocking center that every NBA team is looking for right now. He also possesses the footwork and lateral mobility to potentially defend a bit out on the perimeter, and some short-roll ball-handling ability. Basically, Hayes is like a combination of a Steven Adams and Clint Capela starter kit, both of whom have morphed into above-average starting NBA centers who can create an impact on both ends. The Hawks are an intelligently run organization led by general manager Travis Schlenk, whose background is with the Golden State title teams. Those teams tended to value low-usage, rim-protecting centers. It’s easy to see Schlenk valuing Hayes as one of those types with his second first-round pick, the one acquired in the deal for Trae Young.
11. Minnesota Timberwolves — Sekou Doumbouya
6-9 forward, 18 years old, Limoges (France)
Out of the international class, the multi-dimensional 6-foot-9 18-year-old originally from Guinea certainly looks to hold the most long-term value. Doumbouya had a tough start to the season, struggling to adjust to high-level pro basketball in France in the first three months of his season. He posted an extremely poor 0.57 assist to turnover ratio, while hitting just 25 percent in limited attempts from 3. Defensively, he was fouling more than six times per 40 minutes. Basically, he looked like a 17-year-old playing professional basketball for the first time. But then, in a trio of games around Christmas, it looked like the French international had turned a corner, scoring 12 points in each and looking much more comfortable. Unfortunately, Doumbouya suffered a thumb injury in a league game against Boulazac and required surgery to repair a ligament and missed just over a month of action. And after a few games of action to get himself back into game shape, Doumbouya has been much better over the last month and a half. In his last eight games, Doumbouya has seen his points per minute increase, his 3-point shooting volume and efficiency has increased, and generally he just looks much more comfortable with the speed of the game.
Overall, I’m encouraged that Doumbouya has figured things out quickly, but still question how ready for the NBA he is simply due to his inexperience at high levels to this stage. There’s a real chance that he might need an extra year of seasoning, or else the team that picks him may be wasting one or two valuable seasons of his entry-level contract. Much like someone like Al-Farouq Aminu, the team that gets the best value out of Doumbouya may not necessarily be the team that selects him unless they can delay his process for coming over. But NBA teams generally are relatively high on Doumbouya and consider him a likely lottery pick.
12. Charlotte Hornets — Rui Hachimura
6-8 forward, junior, Gonzaga
NBA teams are high on Hachimura’s tools. He’s 6-8 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan at 240 pounds, but also maintains high-level athleticism. His first step is terrific for a man his size, and it allows him to get to the basket. As a shooter, there’s a hitch at the top of his release to fix, but his touch is pretty good and at least portends some potential — but he needs to get more confidence from beyond the arc. Defensively, he possesses potential due to his strength and length, although sometimes his feet get a bit stuck in the mud at times and his feel on that end isn’t particularly strong after his prep years of being the primary offensive option with little defensive accountability until he reached Gonzaga. This year, things started to click a bit more on that end, but it remains an open question as to whether or not Hachimura will defend.
For Charlotte, this represents something of a swing on a player with legitimate upside that can score the basketball. They desperately need to take some swings like this, given the current state of the roster and the potential for Kemba Walker to depart this offseason. It’s also a strong positional fit, and it fits the Hornets’ mold of taking high-profile college players who have experienced exceptional success at that level (you can go back to Kemba Walker, Frank Kaminsky, Miles Bridges, Malik Monk, Cody Zeller, and more). Hachimura was a first-team All-American this season.
13. Miami Heat — PJ Washington
6-7 forward/center, sophomore, Kentucky
For Miami, they’re about as good as any team in the league at getting guys into optimal shape and putting guys into position for success. Washington is a player that got into terrific shape last season, and experienced a legitimate jump in his game and the way he enforces his athleticism on the game because of it. He could use a team that helps him to stay in such shape. This isn’t exactly what I’d call a sexy, high-upside pick for an organization in desperate need of such swings, but this part of the draft is not really loaded with those type of players and Washington is a player that would fit on their roster and give them some added size, toughness, and perimeter shooting. His length could also help them in the smaller lineups that they enjoy employing.
14. Boston Celtics (from SAC) — Brandon Clarke
6-8 forward/center, redshirt junior, Gonzaga
I had Clarke at No. 10 on my most recent mock draft. In large part, that was because his fit with the Minnesota Timberwolves is my favorite potential idea in the entire draft (not-Zion division). He complements Karl-Anthony Towns perfectly. He’s a monster coming over from the weak side as a shot-blocker, something Towns has struggled with in his career. His intelligence coming over in help would be of significant value when a team pulls Towns away from the basket. Clarke can legit play away from the basket at the 4 defensively at the NBA level, in addition to potentially the 5 in smaller lineups. On offense, Towns’ elite level shooting ability would complement Clarke’s current development on that side of the floor.
But when executives reached out to me afterward to chat about where players were placed, the message from most was that they felt Clarke was too highly placed. NBA teams are certainly mixed about his potential. Some executives are with me and believe that he’s a top-10 player (that’s where he’ll feature on my big board). But the overall tenor around the league sees him more as a top-20 guy as opposed to a surefire lottery pick. Thus, I’ve slid him down four spots to the Celtics, another smartly-run organization who could find value in Clarke’s unique skillset, particularly in regard to how it could translate in the playoffs if his offensive game comes along.
Picks 15-60 available on article free within app
15-30
15. Romeo Langford (DET)
16. Tyler Herro (ORL)
17. Goga Bitadze (BKN)
18. Kevin Porter Jr. (IND)
19. Nickeil Alexander-Walker (SAS)
20. Keldon Johnson (BOS)
21. Bol Bol (OKC)
22. Carsen Edwards (BOS)
23. Cameron Johnson (UTA)
24. Ty Jerome (PHI)
25. KZ Okpala (POR)
26. Nic Claxton (CLE)
27. Grant Williams (BKN)
28. Talen Horton-Tucker (GSW)
29. Bruno Fernando (SAS)
30. Matisse Thybulle (MIL)
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the suns won 19 games for Coby White 
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deandre hunter is not getting lots of love in this thread.
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Based of player profiles I really like Garland havent seen any of his 5 games though
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the suns won 19 games for Coby White
Suns were the biggest losers of the lottery & it's not really close
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they deserve it
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21, not a great athlete and doesn't even take a lot of 3's for a guy that's supposed to be a shooter
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Don't sleep on Bol Bol
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Louis King is gonna be a STEAL if he drops to the 2nd
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Interesting to see so many guys ducking the 5 on 5.
Divencenzo fresh off of an MOP tourney run actually raised his stock at the combine scrimmages.
Divencenzo fresh off of an MOP tourney run actually raised his stock at the combine scrimmages.
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thought he was a 40% or something shooter from three?
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Honestly think he's the perfect fit for the Lakers but at 4 I'm not sure if they should go that way as far as value goes.
Great defender, has stroke but just needs to get consistent with it, when he chooses to attack it usually goes well for him but it's scarce. Don't think he has star power but does a lot of important things well
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He was letting them fly in the tournament if I remember correctly
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i can see that, if they keep the pick.
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Injury prone center with knee issues who is not quick or good defensively. Nope
U
User 15002
Guest
Bol Bol is the player you draft if you know you're getting fired already.
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6'8, 200 lb PF. He'd go undrafted based on those metrics alone 9 times out of 10
Real life Spiderman
Real life Spiderman
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I'd absolutely run the risk on Bol Bol.
This draft sucks, he is 7'2 and can really ****ing shoot. If he stays healthy, there is zero chance that he isn't an impact player.
This draft sucks, he is 7'2 and can really ****ing shoot. If he stays healthy, there is zero chance that he isn't an impact player.
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Thank you. Was getting roasted by fellow hornets fans for saying this.
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Black Matt boner?
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Bol Bol was hitting turn-around fade away 3's.
Dude has game, his frame and the injury is very concerning but the upside is worth it at the right spot. Brandon Clarke was projected at the 10 range and he weighed in at 207, don't see anything wrong with taking Bol around that spot.
Dude has game, his frame and the injury is very concerning but the upside is worth it at the right spot. Brandon Clarke was projected at the 10 range and he weighed in at 207, don't see anything wrong with taking Bol around that spot.
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Is this really what you need from your center tho?
